Thursday, November 1, 2018

The Land of Israel - Gates of Prophecy

In this selection from Part Two, Rabbi Yehudah HaLevi notes the special qualities of Eretz Yisrael, especially its receptivity to prophetic visions. One of his proofs is the Biblical account of Jacob in Beit El. Jacob awoke in the morning after experiencing an amazing prophetic dream of angels and a ladder leading to heaven. Jacob is in awe of the spiritual nature of the place .

14. Without doubt, the places worthy of being called “the gates of heaven” are located in the Land of Israel. Do you not see that Jacob ascribed the [prophetic] vision that he saw – not to the purity of his soul, his piety, or the strength of his faith – but to the location where he experienced it. Jacob remarked in wonder, “How awe-inspiring is this place!” (Gen. 28:17). And the previous verse states that Jacob “came upon the place,” i.e., the special place.
(Rabbi Yehudah HaLevi continues with the following parable of a farmer:)
Note how Abraham was uprooted from his native land after he became suitable to cleave with the Divine Order – he was the heart of this essence. Abraham was then brought to the place where his potential could be realized.

This may be compared to a farmer who comes across the trunk of a good fruit tree in a barren region. He relocates the tree to properly-tilled ground, where this species of tree grows naturally. There he nurtures the tree, transforming it from a wild root to a cultivated one, from one that bears fruit by chance to one that produces a plentiful yield.

In this way, the gift of prophecy became widespread among Abraham’s descendants in the Land of Israel. Many possessed this gift, as long as they lived in the Land and observed the instrumental prerequisites – purity, service, and offerings – especially when the Shekhinah dwelled there.

Sunday, March 4, 2018

Ritual Impurity and Tzara’at


In this selection from Part Two, Rabbi Yehudah HaLevi suggests a possible explanation for the Torah's concept of Tum'ah (ritual impurity). The author proposes that this impurity is connected to the loss of life (or the loss of potential life).
Tzara’at is similarly related to the loss of life - in particular, loss of the Shekhinah’s light and influence. 


59. The Kuzari: Do you have a satisfactory explanation for this subject [of ritual impurity]?


60. The Rabbi: I have already told you that our intellect is unable to grasp the Divine Order. It is best not to attempt to give reasons for profound matters such as these.

However, I take the liberty of suggesting – without claiming that this is the true reason – that impurity from leprosy and bodily discharges may be related to the ritual contamination by corpses (טומאת מת). Death is the greatest loss, and a leprous limb is as if dead.

The same is true for lost sperm, as it was endowed with potential living spirit, capable of producing human life. Its loss is the opposite of the essence of life and spirit. Due to its fine nature, this loss is only felt by highly sensitive spirits and noble souls who cleave to the Divine, to prophecy, or to true visions and revelations.

Some individuals experience melancholy when they have not purified themselves from a state of impurity. It has been demonstrated that their touch can ruin sensitive objects, such as flowers and wine. Most of us are affected by proximity to dead bodies and graves. Our minds are temporarily disoriented when we find ourselves in a house where a corpse is lying. Those of a coarser character, however, remain unaffected.

We see the same phenomenon with intellectual pursuits. Those who seek purity of thought in philosophic studies or purity of soul in prayer and communion with God will notice the detrimental effect of heavy foods and excessive eating and drinking. They will also find that preoccupation with women, associating with scoffers, and engaging in songs of love and jests will impair their pursuits.


61. The Kuzari: This explains to me why this particular excess of bodily fluid – seminal discharges – contaminates, even though it is wholly spirit, whereas urine and feces do not, despite their repulsive odor, appearance, and quantity.

But I still lack an explanation for leprosy (tzara’ath) appearing in clothing and houses.


62. The Rabbi: As I already mentioned, this phenomenon was the result of the special qualities of the Shekhinah. The Shekhinah dwelled in the Jewish people like the spirit of life dwelling in the human body. It granted them a Divine life-force, bestowing nobility, beauty, and splendor to their souls, bodies, appearance, and dwellings. When the Shekhinah departed from them, their wisdom diminished, their bodies deteriorated, and their beauty faded.

The effect of the departure of the Shekhinah’s light was noticeable in each individual, just as one may see the sudden withdrawal of a person’s spirit due to fright or anxiety, which makes an impact on the body. One may find black or green marks on women and on youths who venture out at night, the result of their delicate constitution; they attribute this to demons. Sometimes, experiencing such a frightening event, or witnessing someone dead or killed, will bring about physical or mental illness that is difficult to heal.